Recipes for the week of 8/16/09

Summer squash with tomatoes and corn

(This always gets rave reviews. It’s a little soupy, so I use less milk. It freezes fine – what a treat in the winter.)
Preheat oven to 350

3 T oil or butter
1 small onion, chopped
1 clove garlic, minced
1 large or 2 small summer squash, unpeeled and thinly sliced
2 tomatoes, cored and cut in chunks
kernels cut from 2 ears of corn
1 tsp fresh mint, chopped
1/4 tsp ground coriander
1 tsp salt
1 c milk or light cream
1 tsp chili powder
3 oz. cream cheese, diced (or grated cheddar)

1. In a skillet or heavy casserole, heat oil and saute onion and garlic briefly.
2. Add squash, tomatoes and corn, and toss to coat pieces. Stir in the mint, coriander and salt.
Cover pan and simmer about 15 or 20 minutes, stirring occasionally, until vegetables are tender
Transfer to a casserole dish.
3. Add the milk and bake at 350 in covered casserole for another 15 to 20 minutes.
4. Mix in the chili powder and top with the cheese. Return to oven to partially melt cheese.

RECIPE – GREEK KALE SALAD

INGREDIENTS

1 3/4 pounds kale, large stems discarded (3/4 pound leaves)
2 whole-wheat pita breads
1/4 cup extra-virgin olive oil, plus more for brushing
2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
1/4 teaspoon crushed red pepper
Salt and freshly ground pepper
1/2 cup grape tomatoes, halved
1/3 cup pitted Calamata olives, cut lengthwise into slivers
2 ounces feta cheese, preferably French, crumbled (2/3 cup)

Directions
Preheat the oven to 400°. In a large pot of boiling water, cook the kale leaves until just tender, about 5 minutes. Drain and rinse under cold water to cool. Transfer the kale to a clean kitchen towel and squeeze dry. Fluff up the leaves, coarsely chop them and transfer to a large bowl.

Brush both sides of the pita breads with olive oil and bake for about 8 minutes, or until crisp. Cut the pita into wedges.

In a small bowl, combine the 1/4 cup of olive oil with the lemon juice and crushed red pepper and season with salt and pepper. Add the grape tomatoes, olives and crumbled feta to the kale and toss. Add the dressing and toss to coat. Serve the kale salad with the toasted pita wedges.

News from Brenda for the week of 8/16/09

Hi Boulder Knoll Community Farm CSA members –

Can you guess where this photo was taken?

Tomatoes – Well, they are looking pretty crummy, but the fruit is still delicious even if you have to cut a late blight blotch off. It’s not very deep and doesn’t affect the taste at all that I can tell. I’ll be sharing out some less than perfect tomatoes out for folks to take.

Anticipated distribution this week (if we’ve got enough harvest and prep help):

  • Potatoes (The variety is Elba, a very good all-purpose spud. Check here for some recipes http://www.woodprairie.com/product/285)
  • Onions (These are not fully dry yet, so use them soon as they won’t store)
  • Lettuce (different summer varieties including red fire, matina, oakleaf)
  • parsley
  • Summer squash (Check out our recipes section for a great corn, tomato, squash dish)
  • Green beans (haricots vertes) (hope you’re liking these – they’re a bear to harvest)
  • Tomatoes
  • Sungold cherry tomatoes
  • Choice: braising greens, eggplant, tomatillos w/ hot pepper, lemon or other basil, maybe bell peppers
  • Herbs – They are thriving and you’re invited to pick your own – no limit. We’ve got mint, lavender, rosemary, oregano, summer savory, lemon balm, chamomile, and others.

Thanks to members of the Frank, Perchell and Pearsall families who worked Saturday to harvest potatoes and onions. We had a good time. Without their efforts this week’s share-out would be leaner. We’ll have another potato harvest in a few weeks. 

Work needed – Please get in touch with Liz Aldred ealdred@gmail.com to schedule time in the garden or the shed. I’ll offer some early and late hours this week to avoid the heat.

Cheshire Herald: Harvest Season at Boulder Knoll

It’s Harvest Season For CSA Shareholders At Boulder Knoll

July 26, 2009 by Josh Morgan, The Cheshire Herald

On a muggy Thursday morning, a group of green thumbs were busy cutting chard, picking peas, and gathering garlic at the Boulder Knoll farm.
The group was preparing bundles of fresh-picked vegetables, 12 packages in total, for shareholders of the community supported agriculture (CSA) project at Boulder Knoll. Every Monday and Thursday, crops are harvested on a two-acre portion of land that the Friends of Boulder Knoll has leased from the Town. The garden is enclosed with deer fencing and arranged in different groups, such as tomatoes, chards, kale, peas, potatoes, and herbs. The group began planting in April and has had twice-weekly harvests throughout the season, which will last until early to mid-October. Brenda Caldwell was hired to be the lead farmer of the property, but shareholders also come and help harvest, weed, or plant crops.

To continue reading, please click here.

News from Boulder Knoll Community Farm – Week of 7/20/09

Hi everybody,

I’m having a lot of fun growing food for all of you. I can’t think of anything else I’d rather be doing.

The rain and coolness has slowed the growth of the summer veggies (squash, peppers, tomatoes) a bit, but as of now no serious disease problems have shown up. We’ve been very lucky.

Monday folks got lettuce, parsley, potatoes, radishes or sumac berries (for a yummy lemony tea), beets, carrots, squash or tomatillos, haricots vertes, and pick your own herbs. Thursday sharers will probably get roughly the same.

Thanks to all who have come to the farm to help with weeding, tomato caging, planting, trellising, harvesting, digging, prepping, supervising, teaching, painting, mowing, compost turning, bring iced coffee, laughing, etc. etc. Please, if possible, pitch in sometime for a harvest. It’s fun and we really need the help. We start at 830 am. With 3 or 4 people the harvest takes 2+ hours and the prep (bunching, rinsing, and sorting) follows. Remember to let Liz know when you can work and when you did work so she can log it.

I am planning to be away on vacation during the first week of August. Several members have agreed to manage the harvest. It will be important for them to have enough help. Please let me and Liz know if you can help the CSA with the harvest or if you can go over and check on things any other morning that week.

Youth from the Waterbury Police Athletic League Workforce program have been out to the farm to learn and work for several weeks now. It’s a great program and we’ll be happy to be asked to participate again next year. Thanks to those members who have come out (Fellis Jordan and Bob Behrer) to be with the group as they learn to dig in the soil, plant and taste new veggies.

Here are a few more ideas for greens:

Alice’s Tuscan Beans and Greens
From Ox Hollow Farm,

Serves 2-3 as a main dish – 30 min. cooking time – a family favorite!

  • 3-4 oz bacon (preferably all-natural),
  • Diced 2T extra virgin olive oil + more for drizzling
  • 8 – 10 garlic cloves, peeled, cut in thirds
  • 1-2 shallots, sliced ½ tsp.
  • Herbes de Provence
  • ¼ tsp. black pepper
  • Pinch red pepper flakes
  • 1 can cannellini beans, rinsed and drained
  • About ½ cup canned chicken stock
  • Very large bunch of washed greens — enough to fill a large salad spinner (kale, chard, spinach, escarole, mustard greens); big ribs and stems removed, roughly sliced
  • Aged balsamic vinegar and salt to taste

Oops they didn’t include any other instructions – check Jeff Rapoport’s printed recipe for appropriate cooking directions.

Kale Soup (a simple favorite in my household)
From Walter Greist at Mill River Valley Gardens

  • 3 minced garlic cloves
  • 1 lg chopped onion
  • 3 T olive oil
  • 6 c. veggie stock
  • 2 c. pureed tomatoes
  • 1 bunch shredded kale
  • 1 can cannellini beans (or other large beans)
  • Parmesan cheese
  • Salt, pepper, herbs to taste (maybe try summer savory, rosemary, thyme, parsley, oregano, mint from our herb garden)

Saute garlic and onion until translucent. Add veggie stock, tomatoes and drained beans. Heat to boiling. Add kale and cook on medium heat for 20 minutes. Serve with Parmesan cheese on top.

Another great use for kale

Chop it up and add it raw to your favorite potato salad recipe. The mayo or other dressing will wilt and tenderize it. It’s really delicious.

See you at the farm,
Brenda

CSA Share This Week

CSA Members,

Here are some items that may be in your share today or Thursday:

  • Chinese cabbage
  • Peas, glorious peas!
  • Parsley
  • Swiss chard
  • Beets with greens
  • Herbs (mint, catnip, dill, cilantro, lovage, etc.)
  • Choice (maybe rhubarb, mizuna, dandelion greens, garlic scapes, lettuce)

Reminder – If you have worked, make sure you send Annmarie Golioto a quick note with your hours. If you haven’t worked yet, sign up for harvests (10 – 1), veggie prep (11 – 2), staffing the distribution shed during the 4 – 7 time slot, or field work. I especially need help now making and set tomato cages. They are easy but time consuming.

Your farmer,
Brenda

This Week's Share

Hi everyone –

You can anticipate receiving scallions, lettuce, peas, kale/swiss chard combo, carrots, and herbs (eg catnip, mint, cilantro) in your share this week. You will also have a choice between a few different items – maybe radishes, garlic scapes, bok choi, brocolli raab, or dandelion greens.

Remember, if you will be late to pick up your share, it will be bagged up and placed in the white cooler. If I don’t hear from you by noon of the next day, I will donate it to someone who needs it. If you want me to hold it, just let me know and I’ll just leave it in the cooler.

Sorry about the slugs.  With all this rain, they are more numerous than I’ve seen them in a long time.

Thanks again to Jeff Rapoport for the great cooking and tasting demos last week. Delicious and fun!!

Your farmer,
Brenda Caldwell

Cooking demonstration at your next share out!

Hi all –

Jeff Rapoport of Jordan Caterers, who is an active member of the Friends of Boulder Knoll Board, will demonstrate some ways to prepare the cooking greens that you will be receiving in your share during the season. His demo will begin at 5:30 and will run about 45 minutes. He will do the demo for both Monday (6/22) and Thursday (6/25) groups. You’ll get to taste the dishes and leave with a few printed recipes! If you can’t make this time window, we’ll give you the recipes when you come! Hope to see you there!

Brenda Caldwell
Boulder Knoll Community Farm CSA

Important Announcements from Your Farmer

Greetings to the members of Boulder Knoll Community Farm CSA-

Extra share out…!

Things are looking really great for the start of the 2009 share out season, so good, in fact that I have decided to make a distribution to all members next week. Everyone’s pick up day will be Monday the 15th from 4 pm to 7 p.m. for next week only. You will be getting lettuce, radishes, bok choi, and a mixed bouquet of cooking greens (red Russian kale, lacinato kale, and swiss chard). Regular share outs will begin the following week. You have signed up for either Monday or Thursday. Pick up times will be the same – 4 pm to 7 pm. The address is 800 Boulder Road, Cheshire. If you are not able to pick up your share on Monday, please let me know asap. Thank you …

Thank you to all who have put in time working on the farm so far. Amazingly, folks who are not even members have been volunteering too. It’s a great community effort. If you want to schedule some of your 12 hours please contact member Annmarie Golioto at agolioto@srhs.org.

Member list publication…

I am going to publish the list of members with your address, pick up day, phone #, etc. This way you can organize pick up groups or what- have-you. One person asked me not to include his information, but I do not know who it was. Please contact me directly. Member fees… Please, please pay the second part of your fee ($200) if you have not done so already. Email Carol Goertz (see cc above) for the address to send a check and to let her know it’s coming.

Compost…

We invite you to bring compostable materials when you come (kitchen scraps including paper towels and napkins, leaves, organic grass clippings).

Potluck lunch and farm tour

Please join us for a beginning of the season celebration at the farm on Saturday, June 20 from 12 noon to 2 pm. We’ll eat the lunch food we’ve brought to share and then have a tour of the gardens. Please bring the whole family!

Our blog…

Keep track of what’s in your upcoming share, share recipes, and read the news from the farm at http://blog.friendsofboulderknoll.com/

A plug for our restaurant friend, Caseus…

Check out Caseus restaurant and cheese bistro at 93 Whitney Ave. (on the corner of Whitney Ave. and Trumbull St.) in New Haven. Owner Jason Sobocinski and chef Chris cook up “to die for” food using mostly organicingredients from Boulder Knoll Community Farm and other local sources. Call 624-3373 for a reservation. It’s my favorite restaurant in town and really worth the trip. See you on Monday the 15th!

Brenda Caldwell
Your Happy Farmer

Work Day, May 31

Greetings from Brenda –
Here’s a quick reminder about the WORK DAY COMING UP

When –
Sunday, May 31 from 1-4 p.m. at Boulder Knoll Community Farm (steady rain will cancel)

What we’ll do –
Weed out the perennial flower garden, prepare a flower garden for our welcome sign, finish painting our tool shed, haul compost to the herb garden and move straw from   the    barn to the potato patch.

What to bring –
Water, snack, sunscreen, hat and work gloves if you have them. We would welcome donations of annual or perennial flowers in any quantity or variety.
We would also LOVE to get bags of leaves for mulch and buckets of kitchen waste for the compost pile.

Wish list –

Besides the leaves and flowers, we still need
Wood chips – please call Brenda if you or someone you know can offer them in larger quantities
Platform or spring scale
Large coolers – latch can be broken – rescue them from the side of the road!
bag of greensand
Short handled tools like trowels and weeders

Work hour credit available –
After our work day, please let Annmarie Golioto know if you want to be credited for the time you put in during this or previous work days.

Please let me know by return email if you plan to come. We’d love to have you there even if you can’t come for the whole time.

Hope to see you Sunday!
Brenda

Greetings from Boulder Knoll Community Farm

Hello to CSA members and Friends of Boulder Knoll Board!

WORK DAY COMING UP A work day will take place on Sunday, May 31 from 1-4 p.m. We will be weeding out the perennial flower garden, painting our fantastic tool shed (which was built by member Ian Meakin with assistance from an able team of members), and maybe organizing the inside of the veggie distribution building, in addition to other tasks. Bring water, sunscreen, hat and work gloves if you have them.

Farm Tour and Lunch Potluck Let’s get to know each other by having a potluck lunch on Saturday, June 20, 12 noon to 2:30ish. We’ll be offering tours of the gardens and you’ll get a peek at the veggies that will be in your share the next week. We’ll orient you to our CSA distribution procedure and answer any questions you may have. Friends and families are very welcome!  Leashed dogs are fine, just not in the garden. Please send me an email if you plan to come and what you might bring. We won’t assign food catagories – just bring something you’d like to share. We’ll have paper goods and utensils, but you can bring your own to cut down on waste.

First Distribution is Monday, June 22 or Thursday, June 26 Some CSA members have not yet chosen a standard pick-up day (Monday or Thursday). You should expect an email or call asking you to tell us your preference. You have the option of switching days occasionally, but we want you to pick a regular day. If you are open to a Monday pick-up day, that would be helpful to us. We’ll be publishing a list of members with their towns so folks can combine pick-up trips if they want.

Wish List Leaves (bags are fine) – We need leaves badly – put them on the right side of the compost pile.
Wood chips – please call Brenda if you or someone you know can supply some
Kitchen waste for compost pile (no meat please) Platform or spring scale
Large coolers – latch can be broken – rescue them from the side of the road!
5 bags of concrete to go under the sill in the shed and to anchor the posts for our welcome sign  bag of greensand

WORKERS! As you may recall, all Boulder Knoll CSA shares are asked to contribute at least 12 hours of work during the season. There are also 4 work intensive shares who are working 60 hours over the season. Thank you very much to those members who have weeded, worked on the fence, planted, prepared garden beds, hauled compost, and organized the toolshed. Thank you to Annmarie Golioto who has been organizing the workforce for us. Please let Annmarie know if you would like to do some work. Work done early in the season is” advantageous for us, especially on a new piece of ground like we’ve got!

Our Welcome Sign Thank you to 60 hour member Kathryn Frund who spearheaded the creation of a most beautiful welcome sign for our farm. Kathryn, an experienced artist, conceptualized the piece and created the lettering. Joan Pilarczyk designed, and a group of young students at Artsplace in Cheshire painted the gorgeous image. We will invite you to the official unveiling when we have a firm date.
Hope to see you all on June 20th for the potluck lunch and tour!
Your farmer,Brenda Caldwell